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Friday, May 18, 2012

Tips on Grilling the Best Burger

When a hamburger is done right, you know it--the smoky, char-grilled outside and the juicy inside, all barely contained within a chewy, toasty roll. That's what a burger is all about.

Grilled Burger Basics

•Make sure the grill is the appropriate temperature
Medium-low to medium heat is best. Too hot, and burgers burn on the outside
before getting done on the inside. Keep the lid closed while cooking; it
shortens cooking time and keeps burgers moist.

•Use beef that is no leaner than 85% A little fat keeps
burgers moist and flavorful. For ground chicken and turkey, add a little olive
oil or broth to the mixture.

•Always clean and oil the grill grate this prevents burgers
from sticking, extends the life of your grate, and helps put those beautiful
grill marks on your patties.

•Cook burgers properly Cook ground beef to an internal
temperature of 160 degrees F (170 degrees F for poultry). For an accurate
reading, insert the thermometer into the patty horizontally.

Get the Best Flavor

Meat with a higher fat content will be juicier but will also
shrink more when it cooks. If you shop at a grocery store or a butcher that
grinds their own beef, choose coarsely ground beef for juicier burgers with a
more pleasing texture.

Save the Salt

Here's one common ingredient to leave out. Wait on the salt!
Don't combine it into the mixture, especially if you're not going to grill the
patties right away. Salt will extract moisture from the meat, leaving you with
bone-dry burgers. Instead, sprinkle each burger with salt right before you put
it on the grill.

Don't Mix Too Much

Use a light touch when combining seasonings with the ground
beef. If you mix it too much, your burgers will be dense and heavy - let the
Flavors Mingle.

Leave the meat mixture (or patties) in the refrigerator for
several hours to allow all the flavors to mingle. To form patties, wet your
hands a little to keep the meat from sticking to them. If you've patties ahead
of time, stack them on a plate separated by waxed paper and cover with plastic
wrap before you put it in the refrigerator.

Form a Good Patty

Don't form patties too thick or too thin. A 3/4-inch thick
patty is ideal. To keep patties from swelling in the middle, make small
indentations in the center.

Turn Once

And it's hard to resist, but try not to flatten your burgers
with the spatula. It squeezes out flavorful juices.